unknown
Adjective
Easy difficulty
What does “unknown” mean?
adjective.not known or familiar.
SAT Usage
this term often appears in contexts involving mystery, exploration, or the challenges of understanding complex concepts or phenomena, such as in scientific or literary analyses. It emphasizes the uncertainty or lack of familiarity with a subject, contrasting with terms like "familiar," which suggests recognition or understanding.
Common Confusions
Unknown implies a lack of knowledge or familiarity, while obscure usually suggests something that is not well-known or understood, but may still be recognizable or identifiable to some extent.
Do not choose unknown if the context emphasizes familiarity or recognition rather than something that is not known or familiar.
Example Sentences
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The artist remained unknown until after her death.
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An unknown artist painted the mural.